European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 05, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes tuesday february 5,1991 Quot i Bradley defects called relatively minor by Veitii brads Ier the new York times the army said sunday that a transmission problem with its most advanced Bradley armoured personnel carriers was not widespread and would not hamper the effectiveness of armed forces in the persian Gulf. A spokesman said the service was continuing to Check its Bradley m2a2 models and repair them As necessary. It. Gen. John j. Yeosock said sunday morning on cd so so face the nation that factory tests had indicated the potential for transmission problems in some Bradley vehicles and that the army had checked most of those in the last week. Only two vehicles a May have had a problem a and the checks should be completed quickly he said. Citing an army memo the associated press reported saturday that As Many As 511 of the troop carriers known As the Bradley fighting vehicle had been fitted with a faulty part that could result in the vehicles being limited to 12 Mph making them vulnerable to enemy fire. The m2a2 is designed to travel at a top Speed of 42 Mph on roads faster Han the soviet made armoured personnel vehicles that Iraq has. Of approximately 2,000 Bradley vehicles in the Gulf 300 have the potentially defective transmission according to r. William Highlander a spokesman for fac corp., which builds the vehicles. Fac assists in the vehicles maintenance and has the serial numbers of the faulty transmissions he said. The army declined to confirm of mgr a figures. Yeosock who commands army units in the persian Gulf pointed out that his troops used Many types of equipment and regarded the problem with the Bradley vehicles As relatively minor. Checking amp vehicle takes less than an hour. Readjusting those with the defect takes 30 minutes More army spokeswoman capt. Barbara a. Goodno said. Highlander said fac had recently Learned that general electric co.,0whicn designed the transmission had in 1990 delivered some 511 that were defective. In addition to about 300 Bradley vehicles in use in the persian Gulf 80 vehicles at a Dock in Oakland calif., and 20 at pm cd a Assembly Plant in san Jose calif., have those transmissions. The faulty automatic transmissions have a Small lever that can Jam if the vehicle is suddenly thrown into reverse and then immediately driven Forward again he said. When the lever jams the three Speed transmission cannot be shifted into third gear Highlander said. Two Bradley vehicles with jammed levers have been found in the Gulf and one in California Highlander said. Fac has five employees in the persian Gulf to help the army with maintenance on its Bradley. A a a a a All of the defective transmissions were installed in the new m2a2 Bradley which have More Armor a better Seal for amphibious operations and improved shielding for its fuel tank and ammunition boxes. A. A. V a a a a a a More than half of the Bradley in the Gulf Are m2a2s, Highlander said. From Page 1 pounded Baghdad before Dawn. A witnesses in Baghdad said communication centers government offices and Industrial installations were hit a some of them for the second and third times since the War began nearly three weeks ago. On the diplomatic front Iran a president made a sur Trise offer to hold direct talks with both Iraq and the Init cd states to try to end the War. A . Officials disclosed monday that the battleship Missouri used its 16-Inch guns in action for the first time since the korean War targeting prefabricated Concrete bunkers that the iraqis were moving into Kuwait. The newspaper of iraqis ruling party boasted the Baghdad government would drag the allies into a drawn out ground  staging More attacks like last weeks iraqi push into the saudi town of Khanji. A combat on the saudi Periphery should be based on the hit and run tactic formulated by our ancestors a the newspaper Al thaw a said monday. For the moment iraqi forces appeared to be in a defensive posture. The . Military said iraqi troops were deeply dug in seeking shelter from punishing Allied air attacks. Those attacks continued monday with f-15 eagles and Tornado roaring North into hazy skies from a saudi air base. French warplanes hit Republican guard positions in Southern Iraq on monday and British Royal air Force bombers attacked Bridges in Iraq and a Large Barracks and a silkworm missile site in Kuwait. In the saudi port City of Jidida 9mm pistol or Rifle shots were fired at a shuttle bus sunday night slightly injuring two . Military personnel with flying Glass officials said monday. No one was apprehended. The military described it As the first such attack on american military personnel in saudi Arabia. The new diplomatic Effort by iranian president Hashemi a Sfanjani was reported by Iran a official islamic Republic news Agency. It said he told a news conference in Tehran he is willing to talk with iraqi president Saddam Hussein a and with Washington provided Iran a spiritual Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approves. The iranians have been hostile to the United states since the 1979 islamic revolution. They also fought a 1980-1988 War with Iraq and have condemned its seizure of Kuwait six months ago. A Sfanjani said the Swiss have been acting As intermediaries with Washington on other issues and said a the same Channel can be used to Start peace talks. White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater reacted cautiously to the reported initiative. Iran a is not directly involved in this conflict and our interest is in getting Iraq out of Kuwait a Fitzwater said in Washington. Iran says it is Neutral in the War. But the allies were puzzled when iraqi aircraft began seeking Refuge in Iran a 89 by Allied count. Airan has said the planes will be impounded until the wars end the United states has said it will take the Tehran government at its word. . Commanders have said the iraqi planes will be shot Down if they try to leave Iran. In mondays clashes along the Battlefront in Northern saudi Arabia . Marines lobbed artillery shells at iraqi targets in Kuwait and used air Power to blast an iraqi rocket Battery after it opened fire on Allied positions Marine officials said. No . Casualties were reported. The marines said neither sides ground forces breached the Border in mondays skirmishes. Six Days ago Iraq set off the first major ground fighting of the War with a push into saudi Arabia. In the larger of mondays engagements a battalion sized Marine task Force hurled 155mm artillery fire at iraqi ground radar and infantry positions near the umm Gua air Oil Field in southwestern Kuwait. There was no immediate word on damage to the iraqi installations. Earlier monday Marine Light armoured vehicles exchanged Cannon and Small arms fire with iraqi troops in Kuwait. Marine officials said. No casualties were reported. A v a a a a. A a a a a a a Quot a a a a a the iraqi rocket site whose location was not disclosed was destroyed with bombs dropped by two f/a-18 fighter bombers the officers said. The Allied air strikes on Baghdad began after Midnight and continued for five hours sending residents fleeing to shelters a correspondent Salah Nasrawi reported from the iraqi capital. Anti aircraft guns opened fire and explosions could be heard. There was no immediate word on casualties or damage. There is still no electricity in Baghdad and Only intermittent water supplies. There is also a severe shortage of food kerosene and Gas Nasrawi reported. In Norfolk va., four pipe bombs were found monday attached to two huge met the worlds largest naval the bombs were disarmed disarm the other two. Lanol tanks several Miles from Oase authorities said. Two of and experts were working to a one Square mile area was evacuated said police dispatcher . Walker. The tank at Allied terminals inc., a commercial port is in an Industrial Section along the waterfront she said. A the tanks Are about 5 Miles from the Norfolk naval base which has sent More than 35,000 sailors to operation desert  were found on one tank Early monday morning and then two More bombs were found on an adjacent tank hours later. Both tanks hold 3 million Gallons and were about one third full police said.. Says photos of iraqi pos not a violation by Joseph Owen 7 staff writer Riyadh saudi Arabia a the . Military has defended a commanders decision to allow the news Media  iraqi prisoners of War last week. A we do not believe that releasing photographs or footage indicating that prisoners have been caught or to show How Well they Are being treated is a violation of the third Geneva convention a the . Central come said sunday in a printed response to a query. A television Pool sequence filmed aboard the Curts a . Guided missile frigate in the persian Gulf showed several bound and blindfolded iraqis. Another clip on saudi television showed dozens of iraqi prisoners captured in the Battle at Khanji last week. A representative of the International committee of the red Cross said saturday that any filming of prisoners of War for a television broadcast is a breach of the convention regardless of the intent. The Delegate said that the committee contacted the warring parties to Call attention to their convention obligations after the pos were shown on saudi television. The pow protections were part of four Geneva conventions approved in 1949 in response to the treatment of prisoners of War and civilians during world War ii. The military has not released any photographs of prisoners on its own Central come said but added that the commanding officer of the Curts permitted a Media Pool some Access to prisoners rescued after their ship had been sunk. Militar officials reviewed the videotape footage before it went on the air. A this is different from intimidating prisoners of War into making Public statements or deliberately parading then in a humiliating manner for propaganda purposes a the . Statement said. Last month iraqi television showed Al lied pos making anti War statements . Officials said the pilots appeared to it have suffered from physical abuse and coercion. No traced to Pencil Dhahran saudi Arabia up a after puzzling Over whether it was palestinian terrorists or perhaps just soldiers scrounging for spare parts the . Military thinks it knows who was responsible for several missing army vehicles. Accountants. A a it looks like it. Was some kind of auditing mix up a a spokesman for the . Central come said monday. The military began investigating after officers in the army a 1st army div stationed near the front line with Iraq in Northern saudi Arabia reported several vehicles missing from their apparently secure compound. A Pool report cleared saturday by Pentagon censors said the division was missing at least 50 vehicles including 5-ton trucks and  was concern that palestinian terrorists reportedly operating in the area could be taking them in prep Ratiu Vifor a sneak attack on . Facilities a. Others in to taif division speculated that the vehicles were swiped by . Soldiers who needed the spare parts to keep their own vehicles running. But the Central come spokesman who declined to be identified said that 10 of the missing vehicles had been found and that it appeared the others were in the Possession of the marines but not properly recorded by Supply accountants. Virtually All of the missing vehicles appear to 1 counted for although  a criminal invt Tion div was still checking before making a final i Iii action the spokesman said. The news should Calm nerves within the 1st were officers had responded to the sur thefts by warning sentries scattered across the arabian desert to be especially vigilant for for ii Tio nals driving civilian vehicles and behaving in a Cious  amp a. Obviously if we can discount theft everyone be relieved the Central come spokesman said